Generally, the issue might be handled by the Human Resource Department to resolve any conflicts between or insubordinate behavior by Cathy Johnson and Millie Norman by way of employee counseling. Whenever an employee exhibits work behaviors that are inconsistent with the work environment (i.e., gross insubordination, forgery, fighting, stealing, unexcused absences, and so forth) or is unable to perform his or her job satisfactorily, a Human Resource manager must intervene. In many cases, this is done through a process called employee counseling. But before any intervention can begin, it is imperative for the Human Resource manager to identify the problem (Wisinski, 1992).
But, if either of the employees is found guilty of forgery, the Human Resource Department might take disciplinary action against the individual. The disciplinary action usually has a typical sequence of four steps:
The first step would be a written verbal warning (Kohl & Stephens, 1990). This is the mildest form of discipline is the written verbal warning. A written verbal warning is a temporary record of a reprimand that is then placed in the manager’s file on the employee. This written verbal warning should state the purpose, date, and outcome of the interview with the employee. This, in fact, is what differentiates the written verbal warning from the verbal warning. Because of the need to document this step in the process, the verbal warning must be put into writing. The difference, however, is that this warning remains in the hands of the manager; that is, it is not forwarded to HRM for inclusion in the employee’s personnel file. The written verbal reprimand is best achieved if completed in a private and informal environment. The manager should begin by clearly informing the employee of the rule that has been violated and the problem that this infraction has caused. If this fails, the further steps of disciplinary action would include, written warning, suspension and finally, dismissal.